LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — During COVID-19, social distancing and masking kept germs from spreading for a few winter seasons when most kids are usually exposed to RSV, according to Kentucky Children's Hospital Chief Medical Officer Dr. Lindsay Ragsdale.
Because of this, she said many kids are being exposed all at once this year.
Ragsdale said hospitalizations at KCH rose dramatically in September, followed by unprecedented numbers in October and November.
"We've seen those patients that are infected have needed to be admitted in really the largest numbers we've ever seen in our hospital," Dr. Ragsdale said.
She added that they normally start to see RSV in January, but it showed up as early as this summer this year.
"It's heartbreaking," James Duvall said. His baby, Ezra, has been hospitalized at UK for a few days. He is leaning on his faith, trusting Ezra will be okay.
"When I was praying with him and when he was holding my finger and he was just staring at me, it almost like I felt, I felt a calmness," Duvall said. "It was like God telling me you're child is going to be fine."
As a result of the surge in RSV hospitalizations, and now flu, KCH had to expand its number of beds. They've added 15 inpatient beds and 12 emergency department beds.
"We are not stretching beyond our means," Dr. Ragsdale said. "We really want to make sure that the areas they were expanding to, we have the staff that we need, we have all the equipment, we have protocols in place, it is a safe place to take care of patients."
Mother Julie Case can confirm she's felt safe. Her baby, Emma, has been treated for the flu in an overflow unit since Monday. She said she wants other parents to know that they will be taken care of at KCH, despite the surges.
"It means the world to be able to know, especially a three-month-old baby, is in the best hands they can be in," Case said. "Even though there are several kids here who are sick, she's still their priority. They're there to come down and do whatever we need them to do and fulfill any requests we have."
On Wednesday morning, Emma was discharged.
"I'm so excited," Case said. "She's got a big sister at home and she can't wait to get home to see her."
Ezra, too, is doing better. He is now off oxygen.
More good news: RSV hospitalizations are going down. Ragsdale said they were seeing about 30 a day and now it's about 15.
"We're happy to see we've kind of reached our peak and we're coming down," Dr. Ragsadale said. "I think the part that we're nervous about is we're seeing flu numbers increase."
She said they went from seeing a few flu hospitalizations a day to about 15.
